A Dog's Tale

It all starts with the trail. The sweeping corners, the smooth berms, the mild bumps to launch off while zigzagging down a familiar route. It’s the smells that come with a dewy morning ride, or the feeling after clearing the crest of a roller, brushing away the pebbles with a perfectly timed belly scrub. These are the happy memories of a trail dog’s life well lived.

Shimano Originals Films and videos

A Dog's Tail

                                         

 

 

Trail Dogs: A Dog’s Tale

                   

It all starts with the trail. The sweeping corners, the smooth berms, the mild bumps to launch off while zigzagging down a familiar route. It’s the smells that come with a dewy morning ride, or the feeling after clearing the crest of a roller, brushing away the pebbles with a perfectly timed belly scrub. These are the happy memories of a trail dog’s life well lived. 

 

Raven is a 13-year-old retired trail dog who lives with Darren McCoullough, one of the founders and director of production at Anthill Films. They live a stone’s throw from the Ring Creek Trailhead in Squamish, British Columbia, where Raven has spent countless days frolicking on loamy singletrack beneath towering spruces. Old age has slowed her down, and now Raven happily lies in the driveway, watching dog after dog, and their human, head for the hills. 

            

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In the new Shimano Originals Film, A Dog’s Tale, we celebrate the joy of mountain biking through the eyes of the trail dog. We watch as our four-legged friends drift through flat corners and sail around berms with otherworldly coordination and athleticism. We are captivated by the controlled chaos that blends into perfect balance with every jump and turn. And we imagine Raven’s thoughts as she watches all those dogs and riders head to the trailhead each day. 

 

The film takes us from Raven’s driveway memories in British Columbia to Utah, to South Africa, and back again, meeting some of the feistiest, four-legged trail personalities along the way. They all enjoy the mountain bike world in their own way, just like us humans do, whether it’s hitting jump lines, lapping through the loam, or setting out to build new trail. 

 

Dog Levi scrubbing a jump in the Shimano Originals film A Dogs Tale

 

Born from the wonder of what Raven was thinking, A Dog’s Tale embraces the close connection with our riding companions, the crunch of the trail beneath our tires, along with the swoosh of a tail as we launch the next jump. Stop and consider this feeling the next time you see a pooch gazing fondly at you as you ride by. Let your mind wander a little and get a little closer to what's behind those happy eyes. Because there's always more to the moment than just a dog in a driveway, watching the world roll on by.

 

 

A Dog’s Tale Trail Dogs

The Cast of Canines 

 

From British Columbia’s loamy coastal range to Utah’s high deserts to freshly cut South African trails, A Dog’s Talecelebrates the joy of mountain biking through the eyes of our best trail buddies. Meet the cast of the Shimano Original Film, A Dog’s Tale, and get to know the unique personalities, favorite trails, and off-bike activities of our furry, four-legged stars.  

 

RAVEN

I was born in Union Gap, Washington, and then moved north of the border to Lions Bay, BC. Here, I’ve spent most of my life swimming in the ocean and running through the forest chasing sticks. I’m now retired in Squamish, BC, and I spend my time sitting in the driveway watching riders head up to rip the local trails.

 

Age: 13 Human Years

Breed: Heinz 57

Human Companion: Truly 6, Leo 4

Hometown: Lions Bay, BC, Canada

Favorite Trail: Another man's Gold (retired)

Favorite Kind of Trail: Anything that ends at water

Lead or Follow: Follow

Favorite Post-Ride Snack: Anything tht kids drop

Favorite Non-Riding Activity: Watching bikes go by

Personality in a Nutshell: Loving, Neurotic, Stubborn

LEVI

I was born on a farm in Kamloops, and my parents were both working sheep/cattle dogs. My humans drove four hours through a snowstorm to get me when I was eight weeks old. I peed in Mum’s lap on the way home.

 

Age: 3.5 Human Years

Breed: 3/4 Border Collie, 1/4 Red Heeler

Human Companions: Eric Lawrenuk (lornny) and Kristy Coghill

Hometown: West Vancouver, BC, Canada

Favorite Trail: Boogie Nights or Miki's Magic

Favorite Kind of Trail: I like to go fast and scrub jumps on flowy trails... but I grew up on The Shore, and I love the tech stuff too!

Lead or Follow: Lead

Favorite Post-Ride Snack: Anything peanut-utter-flavoured

Favorite Non-Riding Activiaty: Frisbee/Fetch

Personality in a Nutshell: Energetic, Focused & Cheeky

                      

DRIGGS

My mom and sisters picked me out and brought me home. Dad was marginally onboard with the whole dog thing–he never thought a Golden Doodle could be a TRAIL DOG!!  Boy, did I blow his mind! I love my humans who like to get out and go hard as much as I do every single day.   

 

Age: 2.5 Human Years

Breed: Golden Doodle

Human Companion: Tim Wolford and Family

Hometown: Providence, Utah, USA

Favorite Trail: Providence Canyon

Favorite Kind of Trail: Packed single track on the snow bike

Lead or Follow: Lead, Always

Favorite Post-Ride Snack: Won't eat 'til we get home

Favorite Non-Riding Activity: Anything that involves running hard and being outside

Personality in a Nutshell: Smart, extremely athletic, outdoor lover        

                    

EMMY-LOU

I was born on a farm in Abbotsford, BC and was adopted by a family in a big bougie house in North Vancouver. After 24 hours, they decided I was too much for them, but then my new humans came to take me away to Whistler. Now, I have the forest right outside my door and get to do cool stuff like biking!

 

Age: 4 Human Years

Breed: (not-so) Mini Aussie Shepherd

Human Companion: Mitch Gulliver

Hometown: Whistler, BC, Canada

Favorite Trail: Danimal North or Angry Midget

Favorite Kind of Trail: Anything fast with soft ground for me to dig my paws into

Lead or Follow: I normally follow (Boooo, the humans are so slow!). I'm allowed to lead when it's just me and my humans though.

Favorite Post Ride Snack: LIVER!

Favorite Non-Riding Activity: Frisbee, for sure frisbee

Personality in a Nutshell: Loves to work!

                  

NASH

My parents found me online when I was just an 11-week-old pup living on a farm in Calgary. I was a little shy at first but warmed up to my new parents very quickly. They learned that my timidness was actually severe anxiety with new people, but their patience and love have helped me get much better. I really feel like myself playing with other dogs, running on the trails, and playing fetch. I love my humans and my home in the woods in Whistler!

 

Age: Almost 3 Human Years

Breed: Border Collie/ Aussie Shepherd Mix

Human Companions: Georgia and Trev

Hometown: Whistler, BC, Canada

Favorite Trail: Earth Circus

Favorite Kind of Trail: I love berm trails because I can cut corners and take inside lines to end up in front of the humans.

Lead or Follow: I like to follow the first rider and eventually end up mid pack, or at the back, depending on how many squirrels are lurking nearby...

Favorite Post-Ride Snack: Treat pocket crumbs plus a nice, smelly bully stick to chew in the car

Favorite Non-Riding Activity: Frisbee at the park

Personality in a Nutshell: Restless, Agile, Instinctive

                       

LUCY

I didn't have a name when I was adopted as a puppy. My first outing with my parents was on a freshly built trail that also needed a name (my parents are trail builders). I’m told I was a timid little pup, but once on the trail, I just ran off and let loose! I was in full frolic mode on that trail, completely “Loosey Goosy," as my parents recall. Thus, they baptized the trail Loose Goose and called me Lucy.

 

Age: 2 Human Years

Breed: Jack Russell

Human Companion: Dané Turvey

Hometown: Karkloof, South Africa

Favorite Trail: Loose Goose

Favorite Kind of Trail: Flowy with Rollers

Lead or Follow: Follow

Favorite Post-Ride Snack: Neets Nutribar

Favorite Non-Riding Activity: Scavenging for chicken eggs on the farm

Personality in a Nutshell: Loose, Gentle, Independent 



               

SYD

I have spent every day of my life on the trail! The day my dad got me as a tiny pup, it was pouring rain outside. There was no one at home to watch me, so he brought me along to build trails in the rain. I spent most of the day in his rain jacket pocket, and he let me out every now and then. Dad says I’ve taught him much about life and loving unconditionally since I go all in or nothing with everything I do.

 

Age: 9 Human Years

Breed: Jack Russell

Human Companion: Hylton Turvey

Hometown: Karkloof, South Africa

Favorite Trail: Sisonke

Favorite Kind of Trail: Flowy, berms and rollers with some slow technical

Lead or Follow: Both.

Favorite Post-Ride Snack: Neets Nutribar or Rusk

Favorite Non-Riding Activity: Hunting and digging for moles, playing with my ball

Personality in a Nutshell: Wild, Caring, Adventurous



 

 

 

Keeping Trail Dogs Safe

A Veterinarian  Interview